You must be “Biblically” Born Again By: Rev Lee E. Dixon Do you know the Bible gives 1 definition and 1 only on HOW a man MUST be BORN AGAIN?. The term “Born again” is mentioned 3 times in scripture only….St. John 3: verses 3 and 7 and I Peter 1:23 are the only spots in the bible that the term “Born Again” is used. The verse in Peter is just a use of the term with no explanation…the verse in St. John 3:3 was the introduction of the term to Nicodemus…a religious politician in Israel…Do you know the only biblical definition given is found 2 verses later in St. John 3:5, where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ clarifies to this confused “Religious” man that “Except a man is born of WATER and SPIRIT he cannot inherit the kingdom of God”. Therefore the only definition given by Jesus did not contain a: 1) Repeated rehearsed prayer (also known as the “sinners prayer” which is a manmade invention and dates back about 400 years in existence) 2) Accepting Jesus into your heart 3) the 7 sacrament’s of a certain religious system. The one and only definition was Water AND Spirit. One prominent “Christian” author/study bible states that the WATER, is the amniotic fluid in a mother’s womb…if that is the case EVERY human being is already HALF WAY THERE! Is not this explanation VERY similar to Nicodemus in St. John 3:4? The very first and initial salvation experience in the bible confirms the meaning of this very misunderstood scripture… After preaching to the Jew’s at Pentecost, Peter, who had the keys to the kingdom (Matt 16:19) begins preaching to the Jews shortly after the Holy Spirit had been poured out (Acts 2:4). The Jews were so convicted after Peter proclaimed Jesus as both LORD (JEHOVAH in the HEBREW) and Christ, that they said in Acts 2:37 a huge question stating “Men and Brethren, WHAT SHALL WE DO? Peter presented a very clear and concise answer stating in verse 38, “Repent, AND be BAPTIZED (WATER)EVERY ONE OF YOU in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost’ (SPIRIT: see Acts 2:4) Peter went on to say that this promise spoken of in verse 38 v.39 would be unto YOU and YOUR CHILDREN AFAR OFF(to all generations) even as many as the Lord our God shall call” As you can see Peter’s definition followed Jesus’s explanation with complete accuracy. When posing to new believers in a large forum if they have ever been shown this critical passage in Acts 2:37-39 or have been shown the true explanation given in St. John 3:5… the universal response in almost all cases has been NO! When Peter gave the answer to the question, there was NO MENTION of: 1) a sinner’s prayer 2) accepting Jesus into your heart or 3) seven sacrament’s…Research every biblical salvation experience in the book of Acts (which is the recorded history of the church) and you will find the SAME PATTERN. These are found in: Acts 2:37-41, Acts 8:14-16, Acts 8:35-38, Acts 9:18, Acts 10:40-46, Acts 19:1-6. In this day of watered down Christianity we are reminded that the Apostle Paul warned us in Romans 16:17 to “mark them which cause division and offences CONTRARY to the doctrine that you have learned and AVOID them” and charged Timothy in I Tim 4:1 of “doctrines of devils”. I’m amazed how many times I have posed this term to new believers and the definitions that they have been told by ministers which had nothing to do with the definition Jesus gave us in St. John 3:5. Whatever we believe must be backed up by the examples set before us. 2 common misconceptions used by man to replace the biblical “Born Again” definition come from St. John 3:16 and Romans 10:9. St John 3:16 states “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, SHOULD not perish, but have everlasting life” The critical word here is SHOULD…modern translations have changed this critical word to SHALL from the original SHOULD in the KJV. There is a huge difference in the 2 words…Should is a CONDITIONAL term, SHALL is a promise. If I say “ I SHOULD go to my mom’s house” that is not a guarantee. If I say I SHALL go, that is a guarantee” KJV says “SHOULD”, therefore it is contingent on something, and that something is the Born Again Water/Spirit (and a holy life before God) experience of St. John 3:5. Romans 10:9-10 states: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made UNTO salvation” The word unto means “resulting in”. When a man confesses and believes we do not stop there…we then take them into the water, baptizing them in the only name given under heaven whereby a man MUST be saved (Acts 4:12) the precious saving NAME of JESUS CHRIST. Therefore the confession led to or “RESULTED IN” the saving waters of Baptism in Jesus name and remission of sin applied to the life of the believer. Once again, the pattern of belief and baptism follows the examples in Acts 8:38 and Acts 16:31-34. The bible declares that “out of the mouth of 2 witnesses let it be established”. I have given multiple examples of the pattern. I Pet 3:20-21 states that the WATER that saved NOAH….,the LIKE FIGURE whereunto even BAPTISM DOES ALSO NOW SAVE US”. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus said in Mark 16:16 “He that beliveth AND IS BAPTIZED, SHALL BE SAVED” I would ask that you search this matter out with great depth to see whether these things are so. It is a narrow gate and a narrow way…Mega church’s and many false ways to “Christ” have arisen in the earth as spoken of by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ spoke of… will you follow 21st century Christianity and its Multitudes or 1st Century Christianity and its Remnant? Will you take the time to search this matter out? Your salvation depends on it! “Marvel not that I say unto thee, Thou MUST be BORN AGAIN” St John 3:7 Additional Scriptures to Read: Jesus is God (the Oneness of God) Water Baptism in Jesus Name Isaiah 9:6, St John 10:30, St John 14:8-12 Hebrews 6:1-3, Gal 3:26-27, Titus 3:5 St. John 1:14, I Tim 3:16, I John 5:7 I Cor 6:9-11, Rom 6:1-6, Col 2:9-12 Colossions 2:9, Jude v25, Eph 4:5-6 Eph 5:26
Posted on: Sat, 21 Sep 2013 19:59:47 +0000
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